Ice hockey dynamo Alix asks cool-under-pressure theater-loving Ezra for help with managing her temper, sparking an unlikely friendship and journeys of self-discovery. Vancouver Island, British Columbia, teen Alix is struggling with Lindsay, the mean captain of her hockey team who verbally torments her in front of the other girls. Meanwhile, Ezra is recovering from a breakup with his boyfriend and fielding homophobic insults from a classmate. After physically lashing out at Lindsay, Alix approaches Ezra. He agrees to work with her, and their honesty and vulnerability allow them to confide in each other. The story thoughtfully explores identity, sexuality, and complex family dynamics: Ezra shares information about his sexual identity ("I'm attracted to lots of different people, not just guys") and traumatic past with his father; Alix opens up about her romantic inexperience and complicated relationships with her mom and absent father. Alix and Ezra read as real, complex, interesting, unique teenagers, and their romance unfolds naturally and believably. Amid the sparse grayscale illustrations, Hicks makes stunning, purposeful use of touches of light blue, carefully highlighting details like Ezra's hair and Alix's hockey uniform. The visuals are crucial to readers' understanding of the story, offering powerful images full of tension and nuance. The ending feels a bit abrupt, but readers will forgive that thanks to the overall incredible storytelling and character building. The main characters appear white; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast. Compelling characters presented through captivating, expressive illustrations. (bonus art) (Graphic romance. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Alix is the eponymous Hockey Girl. She's undoubtedly the star of her team, but that doesn't prevent the constant mistreatment and bullying she's forced to endure by team captain Lindsay, even as the coach does nothing to prevent the relentless locker-room (and beyond) abuse. Alix finally reaches a breaking point and stops Lindsay's vicious harangue--with violence. "Sticks and stones," the coach counters, blaming Alix for her loss of control and threatening to prevent Alix from attending the Canada National Women's U-18 team's summer camp. Enter Drama Boy, Ezra, who's been provoked yet again by nemesis Greg (surprise! he's also Lindsay's boyfriend!) with homophobic taunts about Ezra's latest breakup. As Alix watches with admiration, Ezra manages to confidently, peacefully diffuse the verbal assault. To keep playing hockey, Alix needs to learn Ezra's skills. She shyly approaches him with "Maybe you could teach me?" Let the lessons commence. Eisner-winning Hicks is a remarkable storyteller, equally convincing in words and panels. Her exceptional black-and-white drawings--accented throughout with a memorable shade of blue--are a nonstop collage of high-school dysfunction, friendship recalibrations, family negotiations, and plenty of memorable moments on and off the ice. Hicks admits that despite being Canadian, she can't ice-skate and has "never played hockey," but her former--hockey-player hubby gets grateful kudos at book's end.

After Canadian teenage hockey player Alix punches her team captain Lindsay following Lindsay's berating remarks on her lack of social skills, Alix worries about her ability to manage her anger. Even worse, Alix's coach warns her that she'll have to learn to control her temper if she hopes for Coach's recommendation to attend a prestigious hockey camp. When Alix witnesses queer classmate Ezra calmly de-escalate a homophobic encounter with a bully, she asks Ezra to teach her how to handle tense situations. As the duo's mentor-mentee relationship develops into an earnest friendship, she discovers that, despite his tranquil demeanor, Ezra is hiding intense feelings of rage and pain stemming from his own challenges. Empathetic dialogue and compassionate depictions of characters' struggles are complemented by gently rendered illustrations. Vibrant blue accents set against thick, inky b&w line emphasize high-energy moments and aid in narrative and emotional immersion. With a keen eye, Hicks (Ride On) delivers a heartfelt graphic novel that is both a perceptive subversion of gender roles and a remarkable tale of unexpected friendship, personal growth, and the transformative power of embracing one's true self. Main characters appear white. Ages 14--up. (Oct.)

Gr 9 Up--Alix feels awkward in just about every area of her life. The only time she feels empowered is when she is playing hockey, but after she hits the captain of her team in retaliation for bullying her, Alix's future in hockey becomes questionable. Desperate to get her anger under control, she seeks out Ezra, a drama kid who has an uncanny ability to confront his bullies with his words, not his fists. What started as a mentorship turns into friendship, and then something more, as Alix and Ezra open up about their past, present, and future fears. Alix and Ezra's budding relationship is endearing yet also requires them to confront traumatic situations from outside sources (homophobia from classmates, spousal abuse at home, parental abandonment, and bullying from peers and adults) which adds a layer of depth to an otherwise sugary sweet romance. Illustrations are black and white with splashes of blue and expressive line work. Alix is light-skinned with straight hair. Ezra is light skinned with black hair and hasn't found a label for his sexuality yet. VERDICT A feel good romance that doesn't shy away from the painful side of life.--Amanda Melilli